Vrouw met een baby op de arm bij een rieten wieg 1854 - 1914

This sketch by Albert Neuhuys captures a mother and child beside a cradle, rendered with simple lines. The tenderness here transcends the medium; the image of the mother holding her baby is one of humanity’s most enduring symbols. Consider the Madonna and Child, how this motif has permeated Western art for centuries. It’s a powerful representation, tapping into primal emotions and the universal experience of motherhood. Neuhuys evokes the feeling of maternal love, a basic, enduring human experience. This echoes the ancient Roman goddess of motherhood, Juno Lucina, whose image was tied to light and new life. The gesture of holding a child closely, has been passed down through generations, shifting in meaning yet retaining its emotional core. It appears and reappears, a testament to our collective memory and the subconscious processes that shape our understanding of the world. This sketch is not merely a depiction of a mother and child, but a complex symbol, deeply rooted in our shared cultural history.